Dear John,

Nearly a decade ago, U.S. grocery retailer Hannaford Supermarkets promised to ban cages in their egg supply chain by 2025. The company has since shamelessly delayed this commitment, subjecting hens in their operations to an additional seven years of extreme confinement.

What's worse, Hannaford's cage-free efforts seem even more doubtful than we thought.

A new Mercy For Animals undercover investigation documents the extreme suffering of hens trapped in cages at a Brazilian egg farm operated by one of the world's largest egg producers, controlled by Global Eggs.

Hidden-camera footage shows chickens suffering in cramped, filthy cages, without room to stretch their wings or rest comfortably. Many hens appear entangled in cage wire, unable to reach food or water, while others appear sick. Among them, deceased hens lie beside hens still forced to lay eggs.

Earlier this year, Global Eggs acquired Hillandale Farms, a U.S. company that still uses battery cage systems and supplies eggs to Hannaford Supermarkets.

Although the Brazilian farm does not supply Hannaford, Hannaford's dollars support Global Eggs' bottom line—and with it, the industry-standard system that subjects hens to a lifetime of extreme confinement.

No animal should endure this. No company should profit from it.

In the United States, you can help by urging Hannaford Supermarkets to take action on their cage-free pledge and stop fueling this cycle of suffering.